MigRights

Migrights is an instrument to inform and communicate with the most vulnerable groups of migrants, to bring violations against them to public notice, and to help them access rights.

Migrants are subjected to multiple violations during their migration journey such as discrimination, exploitation and marginalization. They often live and work in hiding and are victims of extreme violence, torture and inhuman treatment both in their country of origin and throughout the migration route. They are afraid to file complaints, and do not receive adequate support and care.

For sub-Saharan African migrants, Tunisia has no longer been a transit country since years. It has rather become a country of residence and settlement. In addition to students enjoying legal residency rights, a significant number of irregular migrants from several African countries live among us. They work precariously in the sectors of cafes, restaurants, guarding, construction, seasonal agriculture and households’ aid.

Thus, they are facing a fragile legal and social situation that allows employers in various sectors to exploit them, and to make better profit of them without incurring any significant cost to the state. At the same time, this reality is portrayed as providing an opportunity for immigrants who do not have legal status for social integration in the host country.

Migrants didn’t have an easy life before the crisis, not only because of their economic conditions and their illegal status under the current laws, but also because of racist practices that amount to violence.

The lack of information, lack of awareness of rights, and the precariousness of the situation have further deepened the crisis of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers. The Corona crisis has disrupted the fragile life balance of refugees, asylum seekers, migrants and stateless persons. All international human rights organizations and civil society activists are stressing the importance of providing special care for migrants and refugees and the obligation to protect them in view of their dire humanitarian conditions. Despite the actions of human rights organizations and civil initiatives to support these groups, efforts remain insufficient to

address the vulnerability of these groups, who already suffer from social exclusion and who live under the burden of poverty, deprived of any resource to earn their livelihood to confront the Corona pandemic and to be able to isolate themselves. Their administrative situation is further deepening their suffering and making them and their families face insurmountable challenges.

The “Migrights” application will provide updated information to refugees, asylum seekers, migrants and stateless persons, as their arrival to Tunisia must meet their expectations as to improve the situation from which they fled, protect them from the threat of further violations, and provide them with the basic requirements of life and adequate guarantees to protect their rights. It will monitor all violations, in a way to consolidate protection of rights. Furthermore, the role of the application will not be limited to monitoring and collecting information, as it will also identify and investigate violations while diagnosing their causes and trying to find solutions and to provide possible means of support to ensure that these groups have access to all rights in respect for human rights standards. The Migrights application as an advocacy tool aims to bring about positive change for the benefit of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers and to respect and protect their rights. It aspires to induce change in the interest of this vulnerable group, whether on the level of a policy, legislation, program or project.